The present disclosure relates to reinforced tools for downhole use along with associated methods of production and use related thereto.
A wide variety of tools are used downhole in the oil and gas industry, including tools for forming wellbores, tools used in completing wellbores that have been drilled, and tools used in producing hydrocarbons such as oil and gas from the completed wellbores. Cutting tools, in particular, are frequently used to drill oil and gas wells, geothermal wells and water wells. Cutting tools may include roller cone drill bits, fixed cutter drill bits, reamers, coring bits, and the like. For example, fixed cutter drill bits are often formed with a composite bit body (sometimes referred to in the industry as a matrix bit body), having cutting elements or inserts disposed at select locations about the exterior of the matrix bit body. During drilling, these cutting elements engage and remove adjacent portions of the subterranean formation.
Composite materials used in a matrix bit body of a fixed-cutter bit are generally erosion-resistant and exhibit high impact strength. However, some composite materials can be relatively brittle compared to other bit body materials. As a result, stress cracks can occur in the matrix bit body because of the thermal stresses experienced during manufacturing or the mechanical stresses conveyed during drilling. This is especially true as erosion of the composite materials accelerates.